Michael Parkhurst at Nordsjaelland (Denmark) discussion thread [R]

Steve Goff is reporting that the buzz in MLS circles is that out-of-contract New England defender Michael Parkhurst has reached agreement with a Danish team for 2009. Does anyone have confirmation, or even rumors, from the European side?

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Just read that.

Unless it's from a top Danish side, I would have to say I am disappointed. I would have guessed a Championship side, at least. He doesn't have any work permit issues.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Great for Mike but I too would have thought a championship team would have been interested. I believe he was linked to Fulham last season.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

I'd much rather have him go to the Danish league than play the garbage soccer that is prevalent below the top 8 to 10 English teams.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Like everyone, I too, was thinking a promotion contender in the Championship. Denmark wouldn't be my first choice but Yanks have had success there. I'm hoping he's going to a top side in Denmark. I'll be watching Goff's blog today to see if he gets the full scoop and shares the club's name.

Racking my brains A bit from what I know of the league, Brondby has a good partnership in Swede Jon Jönsson and 22 yr. old Englishman Mark Howard. Copenhagen has Ulrik Laursen, their captain, but I'm not sure who he partners with. Midtjylland has Califf and Winston Reid, a 20 yr. old up-and-coming Danish-New Zealander who has a very bright future. Odense has long time Danish international and former AC Milan player, Thomas Helveg but I think he's been used primarily as D-mid instead of a CB. But I don't know who are their CB's are normally, maybe Atle Håland?

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Parkhurst isnt a good fit for the English game, so I for one am glad hes not going to England just to go to England. A top of the table Danish team wouldnt be a bad place to go, a mid or bottom table, not so much. Myself, I need the name of the team before I can really jump to any conclusions.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Best wishes to Michael Parkhurst in Denmark. I look forward to hearing which team it might be. The English sides even in the Championship have been partial to larger people playing in the centerback position, for better or worse. It's a nice opportunity for Parky to go overseas and get started there. His alma mater, Wake Forest, currently leads Dartmouth 5-0, as the game winds down.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Apparently, the club he will be signing with appears to be AGF Aarhus of Denmark.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Ahh, the Fulham of Denmark.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Doesn't sound like a good move for Parkhurst. We will have to see how long the contract is for.

For those not up to date on the Danish standings, AGF Aarhus currently sit in 6th place in the 12 team league.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Forgive me, the report to AGF Aarhus appears to have been premature. My bad, let's see what happens.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

It if is indeed AGF I should of seen it coming. Parkhurst, I believe is represented by ProActive Sports who also rep Feilhaber and White who are both at the club. Having two Yanks there can help Michael and his wife settle. Plus, I'm sure he's good friends with Jeremiah having played together at Wake Forest. I don't think is such a bad move. In all fairness to AGF, though they sit dead middle of the table, they should be better. They have some quality to push for a European spot. They just need a little consistency especially defensively. It will be hard to break into the top 4 as they are 16 points from from 1st. The top 4 spots are separated by 6 pts. but there's a big jump of 9 pts. between 4th and 5th. Here's the current table:

http://www.agffodbold.dk/docs/statistik/stilling.asp


Edit: Just saw the above post. Dammit Deuteromony! Thanks for making me jump the gum, too!

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Motha****

Why are MLS players constantly going to frickin Scandinavian leagues? Damn its annoying. Two things need to happen: 1. MLS needs to raise the salary cap and/or make it to where teams can give bigger salaries to players to keep them from going abroad without it hurting them in the salary cap; 2. US players need to realize that play and exposure are not better in those countries.

Yes, Califf is in a great situation, but he's really the only one. So they pay more than MLS, is it really that big of a deal? If you're going to go to Europe, go to Spain, Holland, Italy, England, Germany, etc, not Norway. Think MLS doesn't get great exposure now? See Guzan, Altidore, Donovan, Kljestan, Bradley, Dempsey, Edu, Beasley, Howard, etc.

If you think you're good enough to make the jump to Europe, go to a league that pays significantly more than MLS and plays at a higher level, not a league that pays a bit better without a jump in quality.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

At a top club in any league, you get the chance to play in UEFA Cup. That's much more exposure in Europe than MLS.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

I hear what you are saying and there may be some truth to that. But others are having success in Scandinavian leagues. Jeremiah White with the aforementioned AGF, Perkins at Vålerenga, Davies at Hammarby, Brown at Aalesund, to name a few. No, it's not the sexiest place to play but there are good teams and good competition, though it may be debated at which level these clubs/leagues are. As to the money, hell yeah, it's important and should be a focus for the player. In a sport where realistically your career is over when you hit the 32-35 range, it is in the best interest to cash in while you can to secure yourself financially. At that age you have a lot of life to live and you better be financially secure, especially in these current economic times. MLS is getting scouted by the "Big 4" leagues and will continue to be but honestly the guys who have gone to the Scandinavian leagues were not of that quality when they left. You can argue MLS vs. Scandinavian until we are blue in the face but there's really no clear cut answers. It just depends on the player, the club, and the situation.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Indeed. MLS needs to figure out what it wants to be when it grows up because if it's serious about being "major" they need to start paying their upper middle class players more.

But, don't look for any major shifts till the new CBA is signed (the current one ends after the 09 season) because MLS doesn't want to give away too much to the players unless they have to.

Yours is a very naive view. I say that with no disrespect intended but it just doesn't look at being a pro soccer player for what it is: a job, and a job with a very limited window in which to cash in.

That cashing in ain't happening in MLS so players go where they can to get paid.

But make no mistake, getting paid is FAR more important to the players than playing for the national team. The national team ain't a job. Playing for your club is a job and players are gonna go where they can play and gets paid.

As for Scandanavia being a poor place to get national team call-ups, it should be noted that it's not just Danny Califf. Heath Pearce started his career in Denmark and got his first call-ups while playing there. Charlie Davies, The Reverend Jeremiah White, Ramiro Corrales, hell, Clarence Goodson's caps came AFTER he signed in Norway. Troy Perkins hasn't been capped yet but he's been dressed and on the bench for the last 2 qualifiers.

Playing in Demark, Norway and Sweden hasn't been the death-knel to national team call-ups that some would have us believe.

Finally, how about this: Four seasons in MLS got Parkhurst all of 4 caps. So much for that being the place to nurture a national team career. Yeah, he got exposure and got a chance and what not, but at what point does Parkhurst say "I only have 4 caps staying here, why don't I at least get paid and maybe I'll get called up more and if I don't, at least I got paid."

Also, there's the little nugget that the national team is slowly becoming more and more Euro-focused. There are still US players in MLS, to be sure, but when the US plays its qualifiers next year, how many of the US players do you fully expect to be in MLS, especially given the expected movement of the likes of Donovan, Parkhurst, Cooper, Marshall, Kjlestan, etc...

At this point, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where Brian Ching is the only MLS-based player who dresses in a lot of the qualifiers.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

I agree. Plus you can easily make 6 figures in any scandinvian country,I bet he could get at least twice his salary in MLS ($147,000)?. I'm all for a move, good luck Michael.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

base salary of $135,382.50 and 'guaranteed compensation' of $147,882.50
not to mention, I would take basically all of our yanks abroad defenders over an MLS one (and Bob obviously does too). There's just no strikers that are going to prepare you for the national team. Whether you like it or not, MLS is still pretty poor, and some people actually want to challenge themselves.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

I agree about the pay increase in Europe

I am just surprised Denmark was his best option.. unless the deal turns out to be to one of the top 3 or 4 sides

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

I'm bet he's gotten other offers but maybe he wants to use this as a stepping stone. I know he is a defender but we don't want him turning out like another EJ.

I say he goes to Denmark for a season or 2,gets his feet wet,adapts to the European game,and then re-evaluates.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Maybe it is one of those short contracts like Jaqua signed in Austria. Parkhurst and his agent could potentially get a better deal if he plays well in the Gold Cup.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

...but other than Pierce (who went to a newly-promoted and since-relegated Bundesliga side) I don't know of any other YA who has gone from Scandinavia to any major Euro league... there have been many more who have gone directly from MLS...

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Just to add my $0.02 -- I lived in Denmark for a spell and I thought Aarhus was one of the coolest little cities I saw throughout Europe. So I would definitely enjoy working there, not only because of the city but also because the birds in Aarhus are very cheeky

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Exactly. The exposure I was talking about wasn't for the national team, I'm talking about for the bigger leagues. I know Bob is going to favor European-based players and I have nothing against a player going to a good league over there. But MLS is just as good, if not better, at exposing players to the top teams in the top leagues as the Scandinavian leagues.

And yes, I know White, Perkins, Davies, etc are doing well over there, but they'd be in the same situation in MLS, just for less money. ONLY the top teams get a chance at CL or UEFA, so to think that going to one of those leagues would drastically increase the level of competition is just wrong. That's why I said Califf was the only one who truly has a good situation in a Scandinavian leagues.

Yes, playing in MLS has only gotten Parkhurst 4 caps, but that says more about the depth at centerback for the US, and the lack of size and speed by Parkhurst. And I guarantee you going to Denmark won't help him anymore than staying in MLS would. Goodson was already on the radar before heading over there, the Guatemala game just happened to be a good chance for a lower fringe player like him.

I know money matters, I just wish it didn't matter so much.

Re: Michael Parkhurst to Denmark?

Denmark is a ground-ball based league, which makes it a good fit for Parkie.

I think Rob Feigenson also represents Gustavo Cabrera - he, of the Eddie Lewis's decapitation fame - at AGF.

Of courses if it is AGF, Ceres will have all the info.

Salary-wise, I wouldn't be surprised in Mike received a decent sign-on bonus and then around $300K annually + performance/appearance based fees as well.

For MLS, this is the DP category. Michael is not worth it.